Very busy today, so just enough time to publish my e-news from Friday.

I usually write one a week, and they're a great way of keeping up with my work in Tooting and Westminster.

If you'd like to receive it click here

Dear friend,

I am writing this week’s eNews on my portable device, whilst sipping a coffee in the sun, outside the newly refurbished foyer of St George’s Hospital.

It was this time last week that I formally opened the newly refurbished foyer, and today I was returning to meet with the hospital’s senior management team & consultant to discuss various issues.

The new foyer at St George’s is very impressive. For me, the separate facilities for patients waiting for transport are the best thing about the refurbishment – as it gives them the dignity they deserve. The convenience stores and better waiting area are long overdue – the last time the foyer was refurbished I was 3 years old!

There were some issues with the local charities (who do excellent work) holding events in the foyer. I am pleased that I was able to play a role in speeding up a resolution of these issues.

At my meeting today I was reassured that the hospital is prepared, in case swine flu comes to our area. The most important advice you should know now is to contact your GP if you think you are developing flu, or call NHS Direct on 0845 4647 or the Swine Flu Information Line 0800 151 3513. Please do not turn up at the Hospital please.

Overall, the hospital is doing really well. It is safer & cleaner than it has been for some time. It continues to improve on the clinical services it provides to residents our area and further afield. Some numbers for you now – almost 5000 babies were delivered last year (an increase of 5%), just over 104,000 patients were seen in A&E (an increase of 4%), just over 460,000 patients were seen as Out-patients (an increase of 3%) and more than 91,000 were seen as In-patients (an increase of 3%). The public consultation process (in regards to St George’s bid to become a Major Trauma Centre) will be announced in June – I’ll be covering this in more detail closer to the time.

I’ve had a very busy week in my Ministerial capacity - I have been to Sheffield, Rotherham, Warrington and Birmingham during the last week. For more information, please follow this link: www.flickr.com/photos/communitiesuk and if you’d like to get a feel for what just one single day can mean please follow this link to my YouTube page: www.youtube.com/sadiqkhanmp

You will have seen much about Parliament in the news this week – specifically in regards to the Equalities Bill, the Gurkhas and MPs Expenses. I will try and get something up on website about these issues as soon as possible.

Internationally, the most important thing (in my view) this week has been David Miliband’s visit to Sri Lanka. Many local residents have friends or relatives in Sri Lanka, and many more are concerned about the ongoing situation there. I understand that the hunger strike in Parliament Square has, thankfully, now been ended. I will continue to work alongside the Prime Minister and the Foreign & Commonwealth Ministers to make progress on the matter as urgently as possible.

My coffee is now finished, the sun is still shining, and I’m off to jump on the tube (I’m heading to Westminster to meet a brave local 4 year old girl who is recovered from a brain tumour, and also a group of Ernest Bevin students who have come for a tour of Parliament with one of my favourite teachers – Mr Jeremy Day). I hope you all have a really wonderful Bank Holiday Weekend.

Until next time,

Best wishes,

Sadiq

Sadiq Khan

Member of Parliament for Tooting